Polk County sales tax vote loss widens

As the count now stands, Polk County voters rejected a penny increase in their sales tax on Tuesday. After counting absentee and “special” ballots yesterday, Polk County election officials said the local option sales tax failed — by 46 votes. On Tuesday night, election officials reported the issue had passed by a dozen votes, but changed their story on Wednesday after discovering a mistake in their tabulation. The money raised by the county-wide sales tax increase would have financed school repairs and new construction. If supporters of the penny sales tax increase want a recount, they’ll have to collect the signatures of six-hundred-60 people to get it done.